WHAT IS "THE ELIZABETHAN WORLD PICTURE" AND THE "GREAT CHAIN OF BEING"? WHAT WERE COMMON SUPERSTITIONS, FOLKLORE, "OLD WIVE'S TALES," AND BELIEFS IN ASTROLOGY IN SHAKESPEARE'S ENGLAND?
Answer Prepared by: Chloe S
In Shakespeare's time many people would relate many of the unusual happening against the supernatural, since this was the most simplistic of an answer to give. According to Peter Chrisp, author of Eyewitness Shakespeare, many people believed in astrology – the idea that heavenly bodies could control or influence life on earth(22). Elizabethan’s have several beliefs in superstitions. Some of these superstitions include that they believe in witches, ghosts, destiny, and the foretelling of the future.
Most superstitions during the Elizabethan period dated back to traditions and beliefs from much earlier times. The superstitions were also steeped in the belief in old magic and the mystical properties of animals and herbs. Elizabethan superstitions also related to special chants, omens, names and numbers. Many traditional English customs are based on the mythical relationship to superstitions dating back to the Dark Ages and even further back to the Romans and their Gods and Goddesses (Chrisp). The origins of many superstitions are based on trust in magic or chance. An irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstances which are not logically related to a course of events can
influence its outcome. Ignorance and fear of the unknown combined with a false conception of causation and cessation resulted in many Elizabethan superstitions.
Fear of the supernatural and forces of nature or God resulted in the belief of some superstitions. New Elizabethan superstitions arose due to the fear of witchcraft and the persecution of witches. Women were those most often accused of being witches! During the Elizabethan era people blamed unexplainable events as the work of witches, unexplained deaths or unpleasant illnesses, bad harvests or crop failures, the death of animals and unexplained fires. Those accused of witchcraft, or being a witch, were generally old, poor and unprotected single women, widows or “wise women”
Among the most important of the continuities with the Classical period was the concept of the Great Chain of Being and the Elizabethan World Picture. Its major premise was that every existing thing in the universe had its "place" in a divinely planned hierarchical order, which was pictured as a chain vertically extended. Michael Dobson, author of The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare, an object's "place" depended on the relative proportion of "spirit" and "matter" it contained--the less "spirit" and the more "matter," the lower down it stood(25). At the bottom stood various types of inanimate objects, such as metals, stones, and the four elements: earth, water, air, fire. Higher up were various members of the vegetative class, like trees and flowers. Then came animals; then humans; and then angels. At the very top was God. Then within each of these large groups, there were other hierarchies. Among metals, gold was the noblest and stood highest; lead had less "spirit" and more matter and so stood lower (Chrisp). The various species of plants, animals, humans, and angels were similarly ranked from low to high within their respective segments. It was believed that between the segments themselves, there was continuity.
Works Cited:
Books:
Brandenberg, Aliki. William Shakespeare and the Globe . 1st ed. 1. USA: 1999. Print.
Brown, John Russel. Shakespeare and His Theatre . 1st ed. 1. New York: Lothrop, Lee &
Answer Prepared by: Chloe S
In Shakespeare's time many people would relate many of the unusual happening against the supernatural, since this was the most simplistic of an answer to give. According to Peter Chrisp, author of Eyewitness Shakespeare, many people believed in astrology – the idea that heavenly bodies could control or influence life on earth(22). Elizabethan’s have several beliefs in superstitions. Some of these superstitions include that they believe in witches, ghosts, destiny, and the foretelling of the future.
Most superstitions during the Elizabethan period dated back to traditions and beliefs from much earlier times. The superstitions were also steeped in the belief in old magic and the mystical properties of animals and herbs. Elizabethan superstitions also related to special chants, omens, names and numbers. Many traditional English customs are based on the mythical relationship to superstitions dating back to the Dark Ages and even further back to the Romans and their Gods and Goddesses (Chrisp). The origins of many superstitions are based on trust in magic or chance. An irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstances which are not logically related to a course of events can
influence its outcome. Ignorance and fear of the unknown combined with a false conception of causation and cessation resulted in many Elizabethan superstitions.
Fear of the supernatural and forces of nature or God resulted in the belief of some superstitions. New Elizabethan superstitions arose due to the fear of witchcraft and the persecution of witches. Women were those most often accused of being witches! During the Elizabethan era people blamed unexplainable events as the work of witches, unexplained deaths or unpleasant illnesses, bad harvests or crop failures, the death of animals and unexplained fires. Those accused of witchcraft, or being a witch, were generally old, poor and unprotected single women, widows or “wise women”
Among the most important of the continuities with the Classical period was the concept of the Great Chain of Being and the Elizabethan World Picture. Its major premise was that every existing thing in the universe had its "place" in a divinely planned hierarchical order, which was pictured as a chain vertically extended. Michael Dobson, author of The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare, an object's "place" depended on the relative proportion of "spirit" and "matter" it contained--the less "spirit" and the more "matter," the lower down it stood(25). At the bottom stood various types of inanimate objects, such as metals, stones, and the four elements: earth, water, air, fire. Higher up were various members of the vegetative class, like trees and flowers. Then came animals; then humans; and then angels. At the very top was God. Then within each of these large groups, there were other hierarchies. Among metals, gold was the noblest and stood highest; lead had less "spirit" and more matter and so stood lower (Chrisp). The various species of plants, animals, humans, and angels were similarly ranked from low to high within their respective segments. It was believed that between the segments themselves, there was continuity.
Works Cited:
Books:
Brandenberg, Aliki. William Shakespeare and the Globe . 1st ed. 1. USA: 1999. Print.
Brown, John Russel. Shakespeare and His Theatre . 1st ed. 1. New York: Lothrop, Lee &
Shepard Books, 1982. Print.
Chrisp, Peter. Shakespeare. 1st ed. New York: DK Publishing Inc., 2002. Print.
Dobson, Michael. The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare. 1st ed. 1 . Oxford, New York:
Oxford University Press, 2001. Print.
Websites:
Alchin, Linda. "The Elizabethan Era." William Shakespeare. N.p., 1, Feb, 2007. Web. 11
Apr 2010. <http://www.william-shakespeare.info/>.
Peters, M.J. "Elizabeth I." Elizabethan England. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr 2010.
<http://www.springfield.k12.il.us/schools/springfield/eliz/introelizperiod
Presley, J.M. "Elizabethan England." Shakespeare Resource Cener. N.p., 8, Jan,2010.
Web. 11 Apr 2010. <http://www.bardweb.net/england.html>.